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Illinois strengthening trade relationship with Mexico

The top elected officials in Illinois are set on maintaining a strong relationship with Mexico.

Governor J.B. Pritzker recently led a trade delegation to meet with Mexican elected officials and business leaders.

“What we were trying to do is to bring our Ag organizations, and representatives of family farmers, together with the Mexican buyers as well as Mexican farmers.”  He says, “On agriculture, if the two industries are working together, it seems to me we’ll come to the right conclusions.”

The trip comes amid ongoing trade uncertainty between the two federal governments.  Lt. Governor Juliana Stratton says maintaining a relationship is vital for Illinois farmers.

“The connection between Illinois and Mexico is certainly critical, with Illinois annually exporting $3.6 billion in agricultural products to Mexico,” she says.

Pritzker tells Brownfield he’s concerned about the state’s farmers losing international market share because of the latest trade war.

“The purpose here is to make sure that the buyers of soybeans, and corn, and other products, in Mexico know that we’re ready to work with them,” he says, “and that there’s a stable place here in Illinois.”

Stratton says the Illinois Department of Agriculture continues to maintain an international office in Mexico to assist Illinois companies in their exporting efforts.